Our Stories

Todd Sullivan

Todd's Better Care Story
  • Share This Story
Todd's Better Care Story

I woke up one morning gasping for air. It felt like someone was holding my head underwater. I tried not to panic but I knew I had to get to the hospital fast.

It’s a good thing Oakville Hospital is only a few minutes from my house. By the time my brother got me there my kidneys had shut down and my lungs were full of fluid. Later, the doctor told me if I had waited just 45 minutes longer there would have been nothing they could have done for me. I would have died. As it was, the incredible staff at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital saved my life. I will always be grateful for their immediate action in the Emergency Room, their expertise and caring in the Intensive Care Unit.

You’re probably wondering what happened to me. What causes a perfectly healthy 38-year-old man to suddenly get so desperately ill?

At first the doctors in the ER didn’t know. They ran a whole series of tests on me and soon they had a diagnosis. I had Legionnaires’ disease – a very serious lung infection. Complications due to the disease can include respiratory and kidney failure – both of which I had. I was put into a medically-induced coma and transferred to the ICU.While I lay there, fighting for my life, an amazing machine called an oscillator was breathing for me at 140 breaths a minute. I was lucky Oakville Hospital had one.Not every hospital does.

I’ve seen firsthand the lifesaving difference your generosity makes. Your loyal support of the hospital helped give me access to state-of-the-art medical equipment, the leading technology and treatments. That’s what I mean when I say how important donor support was to saving my life. Your generosity makes it possible for the hospital to buy critical equipment like the oscillator.

After 15 days, I opened my eyes to find my mom and dad at my bedside. I can only imagine what the past two weeks had been like for them. You see, there was a time when I wasn’t expected to live. My chances for survival at that point were only about 20 percent.

But the doctors and nurses at Oakville Hospital refused to give up on me. One nurse made it her personal mission to break my fever and she did. They drained the fluid from my lungs, gave me blood transfusions and platelet injections. And they monitored me non-stop. I had at least four x-rays every single day to make sure the disease wasn’t progressing.

Helping your community hospital continue to be the very best it can, providing the staff with the equipment they need to take care of you and your loved ones begins with your generosity and commitment.


Stay in the know

Find out how your support makes great care possible.